Theresa came, and Theresa left, shaking her head.
The academy used the world's finest materials for the Valkyries' training, and their food was no exception.
Five days' worth of ingredients for the entire academy was no small sum. Last time, Kallen ate two days' worth and still hasn't finished paying it back.
The two girls who dined and dashed had disappeared, and the school's surveillance system couldn't find a trace of them.
Theresa called back all the students involved in the incident and gave them a harsh scolding.
Fleeing in the face of the enemy, abandoning teammates, inciting a public disturbance…
They had displayed a whole host of qualities unbecoming of a warrior. Theresa was so angry she yelled at them all morning, making them share the cost or work together to find the two dine-and-dashers.
But regardless of the outcome, this group of students would face severe punishment from Theresa.
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"Bro… the school needs a fifty-thousand-dollar materials fee…"
"How much?!"
"Fifty thousand…"
"Don't worry, sis, don't worry… Leave this to me, don't you worry about a thing. Big bro will definitely scrape together the tuition for you, just give me a few days…"
Chen Tianwu hung up the phone and stared at his account balance, silent for a long time.
He had been knocked out, kidnapped, and sold in the underworld. He was bought by an organization called the Thousand Fists Society and put through brutal and intense agent training.
He was lucky enough to pass and survive, but he was bound to the Thousand Fists Society for life, working to pay off his debt.
Because the cost of training him was far, far too high…
If the training for an agent like him was an astronomical figure, the cost for Schicksal's Valkyries, the world's top warriors, must be even more outrageous.
A fifty-thousand-dollar materials fee…
Chen Tianwu pressed his temples. Most of the commission he earned from missions was taken by the Thousand Fists Society. Where else could he get fifty thousand dollars?!
Chen Tianwu entered the Thousand Fists Society's underground facility, hoping to take on some big jobs. It was time to risk his worthless life for a big score.
"Your clearance is insufficient. You cannot accept these missions."
"How can that be! Believe me, I have the strength to complete these tasks."
"Chen Tianwu, you must remember, you are a valuable asset to the Thousand Fists Society. Your life does not belong to you. The higher-ups have decreed that until you have paid off your debt, you are not to accept any life-threatening missions."
"Damn it…"
Chen Tianwu slammed the door on his way out. If he couldn't take on bounty missions, he had no quick way to make money…
But if he couldn't get the money, would Chen Tianwen be ostracized at the academy? Would she be bullied? Would she be expelled?
With no other options, Chen Tianwu used the contact information Ryn had left him, searching on his computer while shouting into the microphone that Cortana was a pig.
After a hundred repetitions, the computer screen suddenly went black, and all the nearby lights went out. The Thousand Fists Society's network was forcibly taken over by Cortana.
Cortana's silhouette appeared on the dark screen, the blazing Judgment of Shamash burning fiercely in her hand, illuminating half of her figure.
"You who called my name, I grant you one opportunity to ask a question."
Chen Tianwu: "I need to see my benefactor. I need his help with something."
Cortana turned to glance at Chen Tianwu and pouted with disinterest. After such a cool entrance, he didn't even ask who she was. The guy was so unaccommodating; she decided she'd ignore him next time he called.
"Is it related to the Honkai?"
"No, I wanted to borrow some money from my benefactor. My little sister's tuition has been a bit tight lately…" Chen Tianwu scratched his head, embarrassed.
"Tuition? St. Freya High School doesn't charge tuition! Hold on, let me check…" With a flick of her little hand, Cortana pulled up Chen Tianwu's and Chen Tianwen's files and examined them.
"There's no tuition… but there are still daily living expenses…"
"Uh… actually, the school arranges for students to participate in social practice and work part-time. The academy investigates their earnings and awards corresponding credits, which is more than enough for a student's normal expenses. Even your benefactor, Ryn, opened a restaurant with his girlfriends."
Cortana pulled up everything she had found about Chen Tianwen's activities at the school and displayed it all for Chen Tianwu.
"My sister's lifestyle is quite problematic…"
Chen Tianwu's face darkened as he looked at the long list of Chen Tianwen's daily expenses.
He worked himself to the bone, fearing she wasn't living well enough, yet she was slacking off in her studies, spending money like water, and getting a new girlfriend every three days.
Cortana sighed. The things parents do for their children. She transferred all of the Thousand Fists Society's funds to Chen Tianwu's account and helped him pay off his debt to them.
"They invested money to train you and then forced you to work for them. It's only fair that I use their money to pay off your debt to them, right? I'll leave a small sub-program for you, consider it a little cheat~ Keep up the good work, I have high hopes for you~"
Cortana reached out from the screen, patted Chen Tianwu's shoulder, and then disappeared.
Chen Tianwu stared at the chip and the bill in his hand, silent for a long time. Finally, it all dissolved into a sigh, vanishing like smoke.
———————————————
At St. Freya High School, Cortana reported the situation with Chen Tianwu and Chen Tianwen to Ryn.
"That's the situation. Chen Tianwen had never experienced such a life of luxury and got lost in it…"
"Mm, I understand."
Ryn shook his head with regret. He was the one who brought Chen Tianwen to St. Freya High School, only to see her led astray by the school's lesbian culture.
"But more than that, I'm curious about who those two dine-and-dashers were. You know, the only other person who dared to do that was the dirt-poor Kallen, from whom you could never get the money back."
"Uh… it is very strange. They were visible to the naked eye, but not to electronic equipment. The only thing I can confirm is that they have no malicious intent?"
"Useless." Ryn contemptuously raised a middle finger.
Cortana grabbed Ryn's middle finger and tried to bend it with all her might, but it wouldn't budge.
"I'm a butler AI, why do you always expect me to do things beyond my capabilities!"
"Then spit out the Soulium I gave you. I'd be better off giving it to Bronya to build a supercomputer than giving it to you."
"Hehe… to think you'd compare our profound bond to mere Soulium!"
After bantering with Cortana for a while, Ryn prepared to go find Chen Tianwen.
He knew the school's atmosphere was off, but the fact that someone he personally brought in was a part of it made him feel deeply uncomfortable.
Chen Tianwen was currently in her room, worried. Being scolded by Theresa today and the anxious, worried tone in her brother's voice during their call had stirred her conscience.